Liquid-dispensing machine



May 14, 1929. a. FREEDMAN LIQUID DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1929. FREVEDMAN 1,712,819

' LIQUID pIsPENsINe momma 'Filed-necfsl, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 May l4, 1929. FR M N 1,712,819

LIQUID DISPENSING MACHINE Filed D sc. 31, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May l4, 1929.

umreo s'TATEs PATE T OFFICE.

BER ARD FREEDMAN, or 'rnnnron, NEW JERSEY, assreno'n, BY manor AND mEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, or ONE-THIRD r ABRAHAM oLAusoN AND ONE-THIRD 'ro smear. MEDOFF, norm or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIoUID-nIsrnNsING MACHINE.

Application filed December 31. 1926. Serial No.158,288.

This invention relates to machines for dispensing liquids and particularly to those comprising coin-controlled mechanismsarranged to deliver measured quantities of 8 beverages.

It is an object of the invention to provide in such a machine coin-started instrumentalities arranged while operating for the T requisite time, in response to every coin deposited, to permit the discharge by gravity of a predetermined quantity of beverage.

The invention, moreover, associates and coordinates with the liquid-dispensing instrumentalities means whereby a drinking- -5 cup is dispensed and made available to the customer at a place where it receives the discharged beverage. Further, the actuating mechanism provided by the invention is such that it may 0 be mounted on a door of a compartment of the machine normally housing it, so that, when thedoor is opened, the mechanism is swung outwardly. and rendered easily accessible for overhaul, lubrication, etc.

Other improvementsin the details and arrangement'of parts or such machines are made by'the invention, as hereinafter explained.

When considered with the description herein, the characteristics of the invention are apparent from the accompanying drawings, orming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Although the disclosures herein exemplify what now is considered to be a preferable embodiment of the invention, it is to .be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as modifications and adaptations within the limits of the claims can be made-without departing fronr the nature ofthe invention.

Drawings.

' p of which' Fig. 1 is an elevation of the dispensing upper compartment 17, having at its hotmechanism, certain parts being shown in section; l

2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the coin-mouth and associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the coinmouth;

Fig, 5 is a circuit diagram;

Fg. 6 is an elevation of the machine, with 4 the casing-walls broken 'away at places;

F g. 7 is a section on the line 7-'7, Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of parts ofthe cupdispensing mechanism, some or them being shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99, Fig. 1.

(lasing and "The casing of the machine, which is of suitable shape and dimensions to enable it to belocated in public places where it is accessible to customers, comprehends a lower compartment 10, for containing part 11 of a cooling system; an intermediate compartment 12 thereabove, for containing the dispensing instrumentalities, and havingan outwardly-swingable lockable door 13 formed in its wall with an upper slotl l and a slot 15 therebelow, and with a lower opening 15, and separated from'the lower compartment by a liquid-tight partition '16; and an tom a liqnid-tight partition 18 and at its top an openable and lockable cover 19..

Pipes 20 afford communication between the parts of the cooling system in the lower compartment and a drum or the line 21 positioned at the back of the intermediate compartment, and coils 22 in the upper compartment are in communication withthe drum.

The upper compartment is of such capacity, and the coils therein are arranged in such manner, thata comparatively large bottle or other container of commercial form, as indicated by-23, such" as commonly used for sale and shipment of bevera es in wholesale quantities,- may be placed t erein, with its 95 month uppermost, within'the confines ofthe coils.- After a container thus is placed in the upper compartment, an intake "part 24 of f9. si hon is lowered into the con-- tainer through. its mouth and connected by a coupling '25 to a pipe 26, which extends downwardly at the back of the ma-' chine to the lower part of the intermediate'compartment. The pipe .26 has an extension '27,. which projects forwardly in the intermediate. compartment to a downwardly-defiected discharge'end or nozzle 28 located opposite to'the lower opening -ofthe door. i

The partitions separating" the "compartments are made of'impervious material, such I as sheet metal, and the liquid-tight joints to t e casing-walls, to

prevent liquid that may leak or be spilled in an upper compartment from reaching and injuring mechanism. in a compartment therebelow.

Mechanisms for operating. the liquidand 'cup dispensing 'instrumentalities' are 'supported byframe and other members 29 on the door 13, so that, whenthe door is opened, they 'are withdrawn from the intermediate com artment and rendered easily accessible for ubrication, overhaul, adjustment-,etc.

Liquid-dispensing mechanism.

Flow of liquid from. the beverage pipe and its discharge from'the nozzle 28 are'controlled by a valve 30 in the pipe extension. 27. The valve has an upwardly-projecting stem 31. A'lever 32, having one end pivotally mounted at 33, is'connected in its median portion pivotally at 34 to the upper portion of the valve-stem, and its other end is forked nor bifurcated, as shown at 35. The valve I normally is held closed by a spring 36 connected to. the pipe and to the lever.

A substantially vertical shaft 37 is reciprocable in one of the frame members; its lower end ortion is disposed in the leverfork 35, and

abutment, such as a head 39, at its other end. A collar 40 of an operating device 41 of the centrifugal-governor type is. rotatable on the shaft 37 'and bears against the head thereof. That device is rotated by' a shaft .42 having a pinion 43 in mesh with a gear 44 on one end, portion of a drive-shaft 45 of an electric motor ,46.

A worm 47 on the other end portion of the shaft 45 drives apinion 48 on a shaft 49, and a worm 50 on the latter shaft drives a pinion 51 on a shaft 52. The shaft 52 has fixed to its upper portion a cam 53 formed with a volute-like periphery that commences at the base' of a projection '54 and terminates at the outer end thereof. That shaft extends u wardly through and carries the cam a ove, a substantially horizontal su portingmember 55 mounted on frame 'membe insulating-block 56 on "-1 that member has swingably mounted thereon at 57 an arm 58.

are connected by it has an abutment 38 below and wheel 90 contactable with those forks; and it has an rs. .An'

The'arm at one side of its pivot carries an insulating-piece 59 on which is a projection 60 held in contact with the cam by a spring 61, and a contact-spring 62 opposite to the projection; and on the other side of its pivot it extends as a finger 63 into a coin-mouth 64 from-which a chute 65 leads downwardly toa coin-receptacle 66 in the machine. A

contact-strip 67, insulated from the door off the compartmenhis disposed opposite to the contact spring 62 and the fin er 63.

Electric current is supplie to the motor from any suitable source, as from a light- 'circuit plugged in-at the back of the ma- Cup-dispensing mechanism.

. -Th e shaft 37 has thereon two abutments 75, v

between which loosely are disposed legs 76 straddling the shaft. The legs are terminals frame part. The other end of the lever ex of a lever 77 swingably mounted at 78 on a tends into a bifurcated end 79 of a lateral ,tion of the arm 81 extends into a bifurcated end 83 of a lever 84, which has at its other .end a pawl 85, and also curved legs 86 journaled on an upright shaft 87. An annular rack 88 fast on the shaft between the legs 86 is engageable by the pawl. The shaft is journaled in frame members, and a rotary table 89 is fixed to'its lower portion. A

(hereinafter referred ,to as the ratchet-wheel) is fixed on the upper portion of the shaft, and ithas peripheral teeth 91 with curved surfaces.

A spring 92 interposed between'any suitable fixed abutment (as the doorof the compartment) and an abutment 93 on a rod 94 keeps an end of that rod in contact with the periphery of the ratchet-wheel. The other end of the rod carries a substantially seinicircular arm 95, which extends around one side of the lowermost one of a-stack of cups I C, and which .has an inwardly-extending terminal-stop 96 normally maintained under the rim-of that cup by the spring 92, whereby to prevent the cup from dropping. Opposite to the terminal stop 96 there is another stop 97 on 'therod (or'arm) a slightly higher extension 80 of an armr8l swingably mountv ed at 82 on a frame part. The free end porplane positioned to be moved under the rim of the cup next above the lowermost and normally maintained out of alignment therewith by the spring 90.

The cups are stored in i an uprighttube- 98. That tube is carried by, and leads into, a supply tube 99, which is mounted on the door, leads into the intermediate compartment, and terminates above the table 89.

" Operation.

The parts of. the dispensing mechanisms are shown by the drawings in the1r normal or inactive positions. The coin mouth or slot is proportioned to receive a coin no larger than that for which the machinefis adjusted. I

Whena coin, such as M, of the proper value is inserted into the coin-mouth a'l'tcr lifting therein-pusher 71, it.comes into contact with the finger G3 and the contact-strip 67. The pusher by pressing of its finger 72 on the coin reliably maintains that contact. The coin in that position closes the circuit through the conductors (SS and 69 through the motor to the arm 58 and through the conductor 70 connected with the contact-strip 67. The parts are coordinated so that, when they are in their normal positions, only a coin as large as that intended to he received will pause in contact with the linger (S3 and contact-strip 67; and, if-a smaller coin inserted, it will drop at once and not momentarily remain in contact with both that finger and strip.

Upon closing of the, circuit through the coin, the motor is started, and the cam 53 commences to rotate. The cam, by acting on the projection 60, swings the contact 62 toward the strip 67 and the finger 3 in the opposite direction, and thus permits the coin to drop from between the finger and strip. The parts are coordinated in suchman'ner that the contact 62 reaches the strip. 67 at or just before the coin drops and breaks the circuit at that place, and-the circuit remains closed through the contact 62 and the strip until the cam-projection 54: passesbeyond the arm-projection 60, whereupon the-spring 61 returns the arm 58 to its normal position and withdraws the contact 62 from the contact-strip and breaks the circuit and stops the motor. When the motor stops, the valve is closed by recessive action. of the cencup previo'uslydeposited on the table 89.

The shaft also, in the same period, swings the lever 77 sufficiently to impart a: quarter turn to the shaft 87 through the action of arm 81 and the pawLa'nd rack associated therewith. This turn'moves the table to bring the cup 'thatjust has received liquid from the nozzle to position just inside of the opening 15' of the door, where it easily may mits it to drop and simultaneously brings the stop 97 momentarily under the rim of the cup that ;then,bccomes the lowermost and holds it'; and, as the tooth passes from the end of the rod, the spring 92 returns the shaft toits'normal position, releases the stop 97 from the cup and brings the stop 96 at once under its rim whereby'it is prevented from falling. The released-cup is deposited on the table under the nozzle. Reverse movement of the shaft 87 is prevented by contact of rod 9i with the ratchet-wheel.

The parts are coordinated in such manner that the valve remains open during a cycle of operation of the mechanism only long enough to permit flow of'a predctcrmined quantity of beverage, as, for example, enough nearly to fill a cup, and so that the cup then is turned by the table from-under the nozzle and another cup permitted to drop to position thereunder as soon as the liquid-containing cup is moved.

When the door is opened, all of the dispensing mechanisms mounted thereon arev withdrawn from the compartment, except the valve and its operating-lever, and thus the mechanisms are readily'accessible for lubrication, adjustment, and overhaul. Such movement of the parts is permitted, because the lower end of the shaft 37 is withdrawable from the forked end '35 of the valve-.

operating lever.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

l.- In a liquid-dispensing machine, the combination of a nozzle, a normally-closed valve controlling discharge from said nozzle, a centrifugal device arranged while driven to cause said valve to open, an electric motor for driving said.dev ice,-a coinstarted circuit make-and-breakdevice for said motor, a rotatable table under said.

nozzle, a cup-holding tube, a guideway from said tube terminating above said table, a shaft connected 'with said table, a shiftable cup holding and releasing member, an operatmg device for said member actuated by said shaft, and means whereby said shaft is turned by saidcentrifugal device.

2.1a a liquid-dispensing machine, the combination of. an outwardly-swingable door of a compartment thereof, a normally-;

closed valve in the compartment controlling discharge of. liquid, an. operating" member for said valve, and the following in'strumentalities mounted onsaid door: a centrifugal device slidingly connectable and d1sconnectable with said operating member; during closing and openingmovement of 881d door, an" electric motor for. driving said device,

and; a coin-started circuit 'make-and-break device for said motor.

-3. In a liquid-dispensing machine, the

combination of an 1 ioutwardly-swingable' door for a compartment thereof, a"norm'allyclosed valve inthe compartment controlling discharge of liquid an operating member for 531d valve, and

pensing mechanism, 'a -icen-trifugal'device slidingl ing and opening movement of said fdoorjand arranged while driven .130" "open said .valve 'and vactuate said 'mechanism, an; electric motor for driving said device, and a cointhe following finstru mentalities mounted on said door zgcup dia connectable "and discoiinectable. -w1thsa1doperating member durmg the 0105.-

started. circuit make and-breal device for said motor.

4. In a liquid-dispensing machine, 'the with said operating" member during closing and opening movement of said door, a centrifugal device arranged to move-Sal d shaft,

an electric motor for driving said device,

and acoin-startcd circuit make-and-br'eak device for said motor.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BERNARJS FREEDMAN. 

